Junk basket



April 13, 1954 J. R. -,ENNINGS ETAL s s Di JUNK BASKET Filed June 1, 1950 Robert Donn e/l James 0y Jenn/n95 INVENTORS imam KM A TTOENEKS Patented Apr. 13, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 JUNK BASKET James Bay Jennings, Odessa, and Robert Donnell,

Midland, Tex. I Application June 1, 1950, Serial No.16 5,534

The invention relates to a well drilling tool and, more particularly, to improvements in device for recovering objects from a well.

,In the drilling of wells by the rotary method, it is not uncommon for portions of the drilling device to become lost or broken off in the Well, thereby obstructing the progress of drilling operations. Various devices have been proposed in the past to facilitate the recovery of these objects from the well, which devices are commonly referred to as fishing tools, or junk baskets. One of the primary disadvantages with devices of this type heretofore used is the fact that no satisfactory provision has been made whereby fluid may be circulated down through the string of well pipe and outwardly into the well while the fishing operation is beingcarried out to inhibit the sticking of the pipe in the well. For example when the circulation of the fluid used in the drilling of wells is stopped while the pipe is in the well, the chances for the sticking of the pipe in the well are greatly enhanced. If the pipe becomes stuck in the well, it then becomes necessary to retrieve the pipe, or dislodge it in some suitable manner well known in the art.

An object of the instant invention is to provide in a device for recovering objects, a floating sleeve which is mounted in an enlarged recess in the lower portion of the tool, there being elongated windows extending longitudinally of such sleeve which are alignable with ports extending through the body whereby fluid passing downwardly through the tool and into the recess may be discharged through the windows and out the ports into the well.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in a tool adapted to be secured to pipe for recovery of objects from a well wherein fluid may be circulated through the pipe to inhibit sticking thereof in the well due to non-circulation while recovering the objects, such tool including a body, such body having a central fluid flow passage and an enlarged object retaining recess at the lower end thereof communicating with the passage and a floating sleeve in the recess having elongated windows aligned with ports extending through the body, whereby fluid circulated downwardly through the passage in the body of the tool may be discharged through the ports when objects in the annular recess restrict annular recessat the lower end of the 'bodyand 7 Claims. (Cl. 29486) 2 communicating with the passage, a floating sleeve mounted in the recess and supported by the body, such sleeve being provided with windows extending longitudinally thereof aligned with ports in the body whereby fluid may be discharged from the recess.

Still another object is to provide in a well tool wherein an enlarged annular recess is provided at the lower end thereof to receive objects from the well, a catcher collar mounted in the recess, catches pivotally mounted on said collar and extending radially toward the center of the recess, there being, spring means abutting said collar and catches adapted to pivot upwardly to admit objects into the recess but which thereafter move downwardly to trap objects within the recess.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a well tool wherein an enlarged annular recess is provided at the lower end thereof to receive objects from the well, a catcher collar mounted in the recess, catches pivotally mounted on said collar and. extending radially toward the center'of the recess, there being spring means abutting said collar and catches adapted to pivot upwardly to admit objects into the recess but which thereafter move downwardly to trap objects within the recess, a support ring mounted below the catcher collar on an annular ledge in said recess, suchring and supported collar and the floating sleeve being movable relative to said body.

Other. andfurther objects and advantages of theinvention will become more readily apparent from a consideration of the following description and drawings wherein:

, Fig. .1 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figg zis ahorizontal sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, and illustrates the arrangementnf the windows inthe floating sleeve and ports in the body.

.Fig. 3Xis a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3 --3. of. Fig. 1, and shows the detail of construction of the catchers.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating in detail the configuration of the catches.

Referring-to Fig. 1 of-the drawings the device is "generally denominated by the numeral 2. Such device is adapted to be connected to the well pipe 3 by. the junk basket sub 4. The device 2 comprises an elongated body 5, which is provided with a fluid flow passage 6 arranged centrally of the body. An enlarged annular recess 7 in mtheulo wer end portion lent the tool communi- 55 cares "with the new passage 6 and is adapted to receive objects from the well. Arranged in the recess 1 is the floating sleeve 8, catcher collar 9, pivoted catches I0, and support ring II. The support ring H is mounted on the annular ridge [2 extending about the opening l3 at the bottom of the tool. Milling teeth M are arranged about the openings l3 so that as the tool is rotated on bottom in the well such teeth will dig progressively into the bottom and move th tool downwardly about the objects to be engaged. The catches Ill are pivotally mounted in the catcher collar 9 by means of the pins l5 arranged in cooperating recesses 16 of the collar 9. The top I! of the ring ll provides a stop for the catches H! and retains them in an inwardly extended or radial position toward the center of the recess. Spring means 19 are arranged to abut the inside surface 20 of the catcher collar 9 and the surface 2| in recess 22 on the catches i to resiliently retain them in the position shown in Fig. 1.

r The floating sleeve 8 is provided with a plurality of windows 23 which are illustrated in the drawings as extending longitudinally of the sleeve. Ports 24 extend through portion la of the body of the tool and are shown as being inclined at 26 of Fig. 1. The windows 23 and the ports 26 are aligned as illustrated in Fig. 2 whereby fluid flowing through passages 6 may be discharged through the windows and aligned ports when objects within the sleeve 8 restrict the flow of fluid therethrough.

While it is believed the operation of the device is apparent by reason of the foregoing, to further amplify and illustrate the invention it will be assumed that it is connected to well pipe 3 as illustrated in Fig. l, and is to be lowered into the well to retrieve an object therein.

As the device is lowered into the well, circulation of the fluid through the passage 6 may be continued. Attention is directed to the straight through or open design of the tool, which enables the operator to wash the mud fluid or drilling fluid through the'tool to the bottom of the wen; After the device has encountered the bottom of the well, it may be rotated whereupon the milling teeth l4 cut a core from the formation. As the, tool moves progressively downwardly around the core, the core will engage the catches iii and move upwardly into the sleeve 3. Any objects lost or loose in the well which may be embedded in the core will move upwardly therewith into the sleeve 8 and be retained therein. After the operator has made the desired cut the tool may be moved upwardly ofi bottom which allows the catches ill to move downwardly to their inwardly extended or radial position as illustrated in Fig. 1, having been moved upwardly by engagement with the core, which is now retained within the sleeve 8. 7

Particular attention is directed to the floating sleeve and the windows therein in alignment with the ports extending through the body of the tool. Once the basket is run in the hole, it is not neeessary to stop the circulation of fluid throu h th well in order that a seat ng ball may be dropped therein to obtain reverse circulation. Since the present invention eliminates the necessity of a shut down period, sticking of the tool and drill pip is less likely to occur, because movement of the drill string and circulation through the drill string out through the windows 23 and ports 2 from the recess 1 can be had at all times.

The sleeve 8 is loosely supported within the recess on the catcher collar 9, which in turn is supported on the ring II. The ring H is free to rotate within the recess on the shoulder [2 which permits the catcher and floating sleeve to remain stationary relative to the rotating drill string after the core has contacted the catches l0 and. started its entry into the sleeve 8. This eliminates the tendency for the catches Hi to break off during rotation of the tool.

Of course, any suitable number of longitudinal windows and ports could be provided in the de vice without departing from the scope of the invention; however, it is to be noted that such windows and ports provide a construction wherein the drilling fluid may be discharged from the drill pipe, even though objects within the sleeve or basket 8 clos or restrict the flow of fluid through the open end l3.

Broadly the invention contemplates a device for retrieving objects from a well, and more particularly, a device which is provided with a floating sleeve having longitudinal windows therein arranged to align with ports in the body of the tool whereby fluid flow through the tool may be continued while retrieving objects from the well.

What is claimed is:

1. A tool for recovering objects from a well comprising, an elongated body, said body having a passage centrally thereof for passing fluid therethrough and an enlarged annular object retaining recess in the lower portion of said body comiunicating with the passage, a floating sleeve rotatively mounted in the recess adapted to re-' ceive objects entering said recess elongated windows in said sleeve extending longitudinally thereof, and said body having ports therethrough in alignment with the windows whereby fluid circulated downwardly through the passage in th body of the tool may be discharged through said windows and also through the ports when objects entering the sleeve tend to restrict the flow.

2. A tool adapted to be secured to pipe for recovery of objects from a well wherein fluid may be circulated through the pipe to inhibit sticking thereof in the well due to non-circulation while recovering the objects comprising, an elongated body, said body having a central fluid flow passage, an enlarged object retaining recess at the lower end thereof communicating with the passage, a floating sleeve in the recess, there being elongated windows in said sleeve extending longitudinally thereof, said body having ports thcrethrough to move into alignment with the windows as the tool is rotated while the sleeve remains stationary whereby fluid circulated downwardly through the passage in the body of the tool may be discharged through the ports when objects in the annular recess restrict the fl w.

3. A junk basket for recovery of objects from a well wherein fluid may be circulated through the pipe to inhibit sticking thereof in the well due to non-circulation while recovering the objects comprising, an elongated body, said body having a central fluid flow passage, an enlarged object retaining recess at the lower end thereof communicating with the passage, a floating sleeve in the recess to remain stationary when contacted by junk entering therein, retaining catches pivotally mounted within the recess and supported in said body to catch such junk, said catches normally extending upwardly in said recess but pivoted to move to extend radially toward the center of the recess, but adapted to'move downwardly.

to trap the objects within the recess which have moved into said recess while said catches were up, there being circumferentially arranged window slots in said sleeve, said body having ports therethrough for alignment with the window slots whereby .fluid may be discharged through the slots and pcrts when objects in the annular recess restrict the flow.

4. In a junk basket for recovering objects from a well including a body having a fluid flow pas sage, a recess at the lower end thereof to receive the junk from the well, ports in said body, a floating sleeve within the passage, windows therein comprising slots circumferentially disposed for alignment with the ports through said body to discharge fluid from the tool when the junk in said recess tends to restrict flow through the recess, and means to catch the junk.

5. A junk basket for recovering objects from a well comprising, an elongated body, said body having a fluid flow passage centrally thereof, an enlarged recess at the lower end thereof to receive the junk from the Well, a floating sleeve rotatably mounted in the recess in said body, a catcher collar mounted in the recess below said sleeve, retaining catches pivotally mounted in said collar and extending radially toward the center of the recess, spring means abutting said collar and catches adapted to pivot upwardly to admit objects into the recess, but which thereafter move downwardly to trap objects within the recess, a ring supporting said catcher collar, an annular shoulder in said body to support said ring, elongated windows in said sleeve extending longitudinally thereof, ports in said body therethrough for alignment with one of the windows whereby fluid circulated downwardly through the passage and into the body of the tool may be discharged through the ports when junk in the annular recess serves to restrict the flow.

6. A tool for recovering objects from a well, comprising, an elongated body, a central passage in said body for conducting fluid therethrough, an enlarged chamber in the lower portion of said body communicating with said passage and open at its lower end, a tubular sleeve rotatively mounted in said chamber to receive objects entering through the open lower end of the chamber, openings through the wall of said sleeve, and ports in the wall of said chamber alig able with said openings upon rotation of said body relative to said sleeve.

7. A tool as defined in claim 6 having an objectcatching element rotatably mounted in said body below said sleeve. 1

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,022,100 Wright et a1 Nov. 26, 1935 2,073,876 Oliver Mar. 16, 1937 2,073,877 Oliver Mar. 16, 1937 2,090,616 Erwin Aug. 24, 1937 2,159,249 Brantly May 23, 1939 2,493,992 Murphy Jan, 10, 1950 

